Hong Kong’s South China Morning Postreports that the Chinese government recently issued orders to the Chinese media forbidding them to report news about farmers protesting the loss of their land. The problem of officials confiscating farmland for use by industry is increasing and has angered many Chinese citizens.

Last year, Chinese officials said they would protect the farmers’ land so that it would not be taken illegally. As a result, there were many news stories about farmers’ land being seized illegally. Before their inauguration, China’s President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao said that they would protect safeguard farmers’ livelihoods.